The automation network may be, inter alia, a building's automation network. In order, e.g. to be able to use the different field devices (actuators, switches, controllers or other network resources) in the automation network in optimized fashion and ensure efficient and reliable system operation, it is necessary to constantly capture state information (e.g. in the form of load flow data) as measurement data locally, e.g. in/out to the individual buildings or connected consumer locations, and to process said state information using different methods, so as then to be able to provide an analysis result—preferably to the network operator or the supplier.
The locally captured measured values and operating data are relevant to the data consumer(s) to allow it/them to use suitable analysis methods to e.g. be able to initiate optimization processes or better plan future consumptions.
During the measurement of sensor data from which network state information and load flow data are ascertained, confidential data accumulate that can be transmitted to authorized recipients only with access protection.
In known building automation systems, this has been achieved by virtue of exclusively one configurator of the system and the owner of the building actually having access to the sensitive data. For security reasons, access was therefore possible only locally (near the energy consumer). This meant that the analysis options for the central supplier were then possible only to a very limited extent, if at all.
The following is based on the object of being able to provide the data consumer with an analysis result without the need for security-critical data to be transmitted from the respective network nodes on which the data are measured to the data consumer(s).